Inspirational blind woman is first to ride bike trail on her own

An inspirational blind woman from Brighouse is the first in the UK to cycle a 30-mile bike trail on her own.

The conventional way for a blind rider to cycle is on a tandem, with a sighted helper leading the way, but superfit Rachel Hanks, 20, wanted to go it alone.

But when youth worker Marcus Irving took on the challenge to help Rachel he was shocked to find the concept of independent riding was unchartered territory. Even paralymions ride on bikes for two. Instead, thinking Rachel must be the first of her kind, the pair had to work together to create a routine that worked for them, making sure Rachel could be led safely.

“Every day I find something that I can do. I intend to live my life to the full, I won’t let blindness stop me.” Rachel completed her mammoth 30 mile cycle on August 25, only falling once.

Her riding coach Marcus said: “No organisation for the blind could provide me with any information at all. I was shocked about that. I realised how unusual Rachel was in wanting to ride her own bike independently. We had to work from scratch.

“The charity British Blind Sport were able to give me some practical advice about cycling with disabililities, and we got a team together with Calderdale Council to get technical and health and safety advice so we could work something out.

“I am absolutely amazed by Rachel, she can do do anything she puts her mind to. She puts us all to shame.”